A Gallery of Italian Colonialism

"The history of Italian colonialism unfolded in a relatively short period, between the late 19th century and the Second World War (1939-45). After the unification of Italy, the young kingdom sought to establish itself as a European power, following the example of other colonial nations. This photo gallery attempts to retrace some of the stages in the history of Italian colonialism and its protagonists. Naturally, the images often convey ideological and political messages, the impact of which will be explained in the individual descriptions."

"The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 made the Red Sea a strategic area, and Italy took advantage of this with its first private initiative: in 1869, the missionary Giuseppe Sapeto, with the support of the Rubattino shipping company, purchased the Bay of Assab from the local sultan, which was used as a trading and supply port. In 1882, that same possession officially passed to the Italian state, marking the beginning of its colonial presence."

"From there, the attempt to expand towards Ethiopia began, but it ended with the resounding defeat at Adwa in 1896, when an African army succeeded in repelling a European colonial power for the first time. At the same time, Italy turned its attention to other parts of the Horn of Africa. Starting in the 1880s, thanks to agreements with local sultans, it obtained territorial concessions along the Somali coast, which were entrusted to private trading companies."

After Italian unification, the kingdom sought European power status and pursued colonial expansion between the late 19th century and World War II. The Suez Canal's opening made the Red Sea strategic, leading to private acquisition of the Bay of Assab in 1869 and its transfer to the state in 1882. Italy occupied Massawa in 1885 and established Eritrea, then attempted expansion toward Ethiopia but suffered a decisive defeat at Adwa in 1896. Italy obtained Somali coastal concessions in the 1880s through local sultans and entrusted administration to private companies, whose failures prompted direct state control by 1905 and colonial status by 1912. Images from the era often conveyed ideological and political messages.

Read at World History Encyclopedia